That being said, I wanted to write about my favorite top ten cheap foods. These foods are not only cheap, but they are nutritious and filling. None of this is research-based, it's my own preferences and observations on life.
Here are your top ten BEST FOODS on a budget:
1) PEANUT BUTTER
With 200 calories, and 16 grams of fat per serving, peanut butter will keep you feeling full longer. I love to eat it with toast, bananas, yogurt, oatmeal, and more!
Only buy the peanut butter that is made with peanuts, and maybe salt. You can find loads of natural/organic brands for the SAME price as commercial brands. And, it tastes just as good!
2) BANANAS
Bananas are a great pre/post workout snack. They have 90-100 calories and they help curb hunger better than most other fruit. Plus, they've got potassium and other great nutrients! You can buy these for .58-.88 cents per pound!! I bought 2 banannas yesterday for a total of .38 cents. WOW.
3) SPINACH
If you have to limit all other veggies, do not take away spinach. The best way to buy spinach is to buy it in bulk (rather than a prepackaged version). That way, you can get the amount you want for a good price. Spinach has great antioxidants and goes with any meal (steamed, sauteed, or cold).
4) POTATOES
Not french fries. Potatoes. I like to buy big Russet Potatoes. The most efficient way to cook them is pop them in the microwave for 4-5 minutes. Add whatever toppings you have (butter, sour cream, broccoli, cheese, SOUP, beans, etc). Don't overdo it on the butter, or that will cancel out the healthy benefits.
5) RICE- brown!
White rice isn't the best choice on earth, but lemme tell you, it sure is cheap. One cup of rice will usually last me 2 - 3 meals, and I like to eat with with whatever is in the fridge. Add spinach to it to increase it's nutritional value.
6) CANNED BEANS (BLACK, KIDNEY, PINTO, OR BAKED).
Beans, beans, the magical fruit, the more you eat 'em, the more you TOOT!! I love beans, despite this quirky quality. Plus, black beans go great with rice!
7) PASTA.
No matter how much the media fights about the pros and cons of pasta, I still eat it! Pasta is the perfect college-student option because it is inexpensive, easy to cook, and can be eaten with just about anything. Used canned tomatoes instead of tomato sauce, and you'll save even more!
8) FRUIT IN SEASON
Right now, the berries are so cheap, you should save up for the whole year. I bought a normal thing of blackberries at Sprouts Market for .77 cents!! These little suckers are so good for you, and they are awesome on top of cereal, yogurt, ice cream, oatmeal, etc.
9) EGGS!!!!
Eggs should really be more towards the top, but I'm not worried about order. Eggs come in at 70 calories per egg, 5 grams of fat, and 6 grams of protein. I usually eat 2 at one time, and I'm full until lunch! Again, eggs are easy to make, and can be cooked in a variety of ways. My favorite way to eat eggs: sunny side down on top of an English muffin, with melted cheese, and avocado. YUM!!
10) ALMONDS
These may seem expensive when you first look at the price, but almonds last a long time. My trick to saving them: I buy the kind that is the least flavorful. I'm usually bored after 10 or so, and move on to something else. However, almonds are the best snack to hold you over to a meal- a great thing to do so you don't overeat.
Limit your nut intake to four servings per week (each serving is 1/4 of a cup).
It would be hard to subsist on these ten foods, considering that I left out major food groups. Therefor, I added one more category:
11) ADDITIONAL ESSENTIALS
Yogurt, milk (almond, rice, or cow's milk), oatmeal, ground turkey, lamb chops, canned tuna, humus, cucumbers, goat cheese, and chocolate!
Ok, I hope you can use some of these suggestions. Tell me some of YOUR favorite cheap and healthy foods.
Coming next: My favorite efficient and inexpensive workouts.
Love,
Dana
P.S. All of the photos were downloaded from the internet.
frozen peas/corn/carrots mixture: I add it to EVERYTHING, (pasta, soup, rice, cous cous, grits, etc), especially when I'm out of fresh veggies and need something healthy in my meal! :)
ReplyDelete-Maddy